I thought I'd start a separate post to keep track of my journey. To catch you all up...I'm a former multiple round HCG'r. I went from 207lbs down to 143lbs over several rounds. However, I am finding that my weight wants to slowly creep up so I need to find a way to get back down to 143lbs (currently 156.5 lbs) and then maintain. So I thought I'd give JUDDD a try.

So today is my 4th day Juddding (is that a word?) and my 2nd DD. So far so good as far as making it through (almost) 2 DD's so far. However, I notice the scale is bouncing which I know from you all is normal but not seeing it go below 156.5 so I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong? I know I should probably not be weighing so often but I kind of want/need to see what's happening. Right now it appears that I'm only maintaining.

What do I need to adjust? Or is it just too early to see any changes? Here is an example of one of my UD and DD's.

UD. I think maybe I need to try and get the carbs lower? One of those calorie calculators said "you need 1368 Calories/day to lose 1 lb per week". Oops, went over that a bit on my UD. Will try and do better next time. My carbs seem high to me also. So might try and get those down a bit. Do you see anything else I need to change?

This is today's DD so far. Note; for breakfast I actually had 2 fried eggs but mine are 70 cals each and the calculator was off so had to adjust it. For dinner I'll have something at 200 calories to keep me right at 500 for the day. I'll probably have more spaghetti squash like you see on my UD just a bit less. Are my DD calories OK or should I shoot for lower per day? I notice if I go lower than 500 I struggle a bit and get cranky.

Don't go by those "other" calculators. Go by the JUDDD calculator on Dr. Johnson's site. You are eating much less than I do to lose, and your weight is quite close to mine. I think going that low on your UD could be keeping you from getting out of the stress mode, which is so very important with JUDDDing (yes it's a word, at least here!).

If you go by the calculator on Dr. Johnson's website, follow both your UD and DD calories, I think you'll be happy. However, I always suggest doing it for 3-4 weeks before you even THINK about changing anything. Some people need longer to build up the SIRTs which make this plan work so very well, and I think coming off hCG, you may have to be even more patient than some.

If you don't want to lower carbs, don't. If you want to, go ahead. As long as you're not sensitive to carbs, it shouldn't make a difference.

Your bounces are completely normal. Some people drop down right away, some need more time.

And remember how the calorie reduction portion of this works:

If you maintain your weight at 2,000 calories, an ordinary diet may want you to eat 1,500 calories every day, for a 25% reduction.

On JUDDD, for your Up Day, you still eat your 2,000. Or maybe even more, say 2,300. On your Down Day you may eat 500. Add them together (2,800) divide by two (1,400) and that tells you the number of calories you are averaging. In this case, a 30% reduction. But your body won't go into conservation mode because every other day it is getting all it wants, so it doesn't 'dial down'.

So, don't aim for those low numbers that other calculators will give you. If you do, you are just on a different kind of low-calorie-every-day diet, and your metabolism WILL react.

Hang in there. In a few weeks you'll look back and it will all be so simple. No worries.

It's way too early to worry. I think there's a kind of learning curve here, as with anything. You'll learn what works for YOUR body, in time. But don't get in too much of a hurry, or you might become impatient and shoot yourself in the foot. Just enjoy the ride. It gets easier and easier. Trust me. I know this.

So, don't aim for those low numbers that other calculators will give you. If you do, you are just on a different kind of low-calorie-every-day diet, and your metabolism WILL react.

Hang in there. In a few weeks you'll look back and it will all be so simple. No worries.

I have a question about the metabolism reaction. I was under the impression that one of the key benefits of the alternate day fasting was the fact that the metabolism is "tricked" into not slowing down as it would on with traditional CR.
But I was reading over on Krista Varady's FB page, and she is very clear in saying that metabolism will slow down on ADF just as it will with traditional CR.

Here's the question with her answer:Should one keep their calories up on the non fast days in order for metabolism to not slow down?

(Krista)Unfortunately, all weight loss diets lower your metabolism by 10-15% when you reduce your body weight by 10% or more. This occurs with both daily calorie restriction and intermittent fasting. The only way to prevent this drop in metabolic rate is to exercise 5 times per week for 45 min/session (which increases your muscle mass). Since your muscle mass is a key determinant of your metabolic rate, increasing muscle mass will ensure your metabolism stays high, even post-weight loss.

I have a question about the metabolism reaction. I was under the impression that one of the key benefits of the alternate day fasting was the fact that the metabolism is "tricked" into not slowing down as it would on with traditional CR.
But I was reading over on Krista Varady's FB page, and she is very clear in saying that metabolism will slow down on ADF just as it will with traditional CR.

Here's the question with her answer:Should one keep their calories up on the non fast days in order for metabolism to not slow down?

(Krista)Unfortunately, all weight loss diets lower your metabolism by 10-15% when you reduce your body weight by 10% or more. This occurs with both daily calorie restriction and intermittent fasting. The only way to prevent this drop in metabolic rate is to exercise 5 times per week for 45 min/session (which increases your muscle mass). Since your muscle mass is a key determinant of your metabolic rate, increasing muscle mass will ensure your metabolism stays high, even post-weight loss.

So where did I get the idea that I was fooling my metabolism?

I don't really take that to mean a slow down in metabolism due to the diet, but just that you need less as you lose weight. It's been true in my case. I simply cannot eat the same amount I could when I was nearly 300 pounds, and I shouldn't. But, compared to what happens when people follow a very low calorie diet for an extended period, and the body adjusts to lower than average calories and then cannot go back to "normal" calories--that just hasn't happened with JUDDD. I'm able to eat pretty close to what any other woman my age, height and weight can eat to maintain, despite the fact that I have a wonky thyroid. My metabolism hasn't slowed down beyond what it SHOULD have with the weight loss, if that makes sense.

I'm with Dawn. However, personally, I am down about 30 pounds, and I have not altered the amount of food I eat on Up Days, unless I have gradually reduced without noticing it. (I don't count calories on Up Days.) If I have, that seems like the perfect way to reduce calories. So, not everyone may need to reduce calories as they lose. 30 pounds is about 15% of my starting weight, so maybe it will all change for me shortly. But until I stop losing regularly, I am going to eat up!

In either case, you don't need to worry about that now! Just get used to the rhythm.

Whew, that makes total sense, Dawn!!
I re-read it and saw in the same way.
Glad I posted, because I was pretty depressed over the idea for a few days...
Should I revisit the Johnson calculator as I make my way down the scales?

I'm with Dawn. However, personally, I am down about 30 pounds, and I have not altered the amount of food I eat on Up Days, unless I have gradually reduced without noticing it. (I don't count calories on Up Days.) If I have, that seems like the perfect way to reduce calories. So, not everyone may need to reduce calories as they lose. 30 pounds is about 15% of my starting weight, so maybe it will all change for me shortly. But until I stop losing regularly, I am going to eat up!

In either case, you don't need to worry about that now! Just get used to the rhythm.

Thanks!
I count because I tend to under-eat otherwise. Nothing worse than going into a DD when you haven't eaten enough the day before!

Whew, that makes total sense, Dawn!!
I re-read it and saw in the same way.
Glad I posted, because I was pretty depressed over the idea for a few days...
Should I revisit the Johnson calculator as I make my way down the scales?

We're each different, and it depends on how much you have to lose. I found that if I reduced too early, I would stall. I figured out that if I waited until my loss slowed down for several weeks, then reduced to the new calculated numbers based on my new weight, the loss would pick back up again. For me, that happened about every 30 pounds or so. So losing around 120 pounds with JUDDD, I only had to adjust about 3 times, IIRC.

Oh for corn sake...I just read something about JUDDD induction?? I did order the kindle book so will be reading that tonight but read something about people doing induction phase on JUDDD, so apparently I've skipped that step. Darn it!

Kel, you're actually averaging about 970 calories a day. 1439+500/2=969.5. Don't forget that you have to average the two days in order to get the actual calories you're eating each day. That sounds too low to me too, and I'm glad you went and got the correct calculations. Also, 4 days is too soon to worry about whether you're losing yet. You should expect to lose about 1-2 lbs a week to lose in a healthy way, IMHO, and you don't have far to go. Enjoy the ride.

__________________

"Never give up on a dream just because of the length of time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway."

Oh for corn sake...I just read something about JUDDD induction?? I did order the kindle book so will be reading that tonight but read something about people doing induction phase on JUDDD, so apparently I've skipped that step. Darn it!

There's no "real" induction with JUDDD. Like Sonica said, it's just a period of 2 wks to get people used to eating very low calorie DDs. Some people skip straight to 20% DDs (usually lower than 500 cals), and some stay at 500 throughout their weight loss (or higher).

__________________

"Never give up on a dream just because of the length of time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway."

Wow, lower than 500? Going from HCG where I'm used to only eating 500 calories may sound like I have it in the bag right? Well, there is one catch to that....I no longer have the HCG hormone in my system and that is what made it so easy as I simply wasn't hungry because the HCG was using my stored fat to make up the difference in calories my body needed. Not now though. I'm finding these first 2 DD were a bit rough, especially in the late evening as hunger is doing a number on me and I'm finding tonight that it's difficult to push through it. When I had HCG in my system, 500 calories...a piece of cake. I'm also noticing that on both DD so far I'm very cranky and snappy...I know it's because my body is screaming..."Feed me!". So those of you that are doing even less than 500 calories, my hats off to you!!

I just have to push through this and remind myself I can eat tomorrow.

During WLM I did 150 calorie DDs and now I do 300. Believe it or not, I find it a piece of cake. It does take some getting used to though. The SIRT enzyme will ramp up as you do your rotations and those DDs will get easier.

I found lots of crunchy celery, cucumber and lettuce kept me ull early on.

I'll try to bump up a thread about the most bang for 100 calories. There are a lot of great ideas in that thread.

Wow, lower than 500? Going from HCG where I'm used to only eating 500 calories may sound like I have it in the bag right? Well, there is one catch to that....I no longer have the HCG hormone in my system and that is what made it so easy as I simply wasn't hungry because the HCG was using my stored fat to make up the difference in calories my body needed. Not now though. I'm finding these first 2 DD were a bit rough, especially in the late evening as hunger is doing a number on me and I'm finding tonight that it's difficult to push through it. When I had HCG in my system, 500 calories...a piece of cake. I'm also noticing that on both DD so far I'm very cranky and snappy...I know it's because my body is screaming..."Feed me!". So those of you that are doing even less than 500 calories, my hats off to you!!

I just have to push through this and remind myself I can eat tomorrow.

Now, I am not the POSTER CHILD for JUDDD, but I have never done below 450c on a DD. I simply cannot function at work on less. My DD's tend to be 500-600c. I too get very cranky and get to where I can focus. I also have Hypoglycemia and if my blood sugar gets out of wack, then I shake and really lose all focus!

Also, 4 days is too soon to worry about whether you're losing yet. You should expect to lose about 1-2 lbs a week to lose in a healthy way, IMHO, and you don't have far to go. Enjoy the ride.

At what point can I expect to start losing? Right now I'm just playing basketball with the same 2 lbs. No losses though. I'm only on day 5 of course but I am curious when I will start to see losses. Today is a UD and I'm going to try and up my calories to 1750-1800 and see if that makes a difference. This is great for maintenance if I were just wanting to maintain but would really like to see losses soon. Does it take awhile before that SERT1 gene gets turned on and losses begin?

Oh ok. I was reading the "Once a week weighers" thread and while there are some great losses for some, others only 2 lbs in a month

It's mentally challenging to go from HCG (where you are losing on average 1 lb A DAY) to maybe 2-4 lbs per month. So I have to retrain my thinking and get off the scale daily.

I have a trip coming up the day before Thanksgiving and I would love to shed some pounds before then as I know I won't be able to stick to JUDDDING during that week I'm there...not with family and friends and all the food. I can make good food choices but I don't think I could get through doing DD's while there.

So I'm thinking maybe around the first of November doing a short HCG round and seeing if I can drop 10-15 lbs before the trip and then once I get back jump back on JUDDD to maintain/possibly lose more.

First though I'm going to see how JUDDD does for me through the month of October and see if I lose any weight on it. I SO want this to work for me so I'm staying optimistic and I thank you all for the encouragement!

No trouble eating today on a UD. I input what I'm having for dinner and snack as I already know what's planned for this evening.

That goal calories should actually say 1726. So I'm going to end up going over by 60 calories.

Hopefully, I'm headed in the right direction by eating closer to my UD calories. Tomorrow on DD I'm going to see if I can go a bit under the 500 calories and also see if that helps and gets some losses happening.

Oh ok. I was reading the "Once a week weighers" thread and while there are some great losses for some, others only 2 lbs in a month

JUDDD is not a fast weight loss plan. The main appeal for most of us is the ability to have pretty high UP days every other day, and really only diet eod. However, if you continue to count like you've been, you will lose at least a lb a week, I predict. Some of us (ME) that are only losing 2 lbs a month are eating too much to lose more than that.

__________________

"Never give up on a dream just because of the length of time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway."